View
243
Download
6
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
THE 88 YEARS OF CHANEL
Coco Chanel . By Ida Rosenstein
BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Different like Coco, Matthews, Elizabeth 2007
2. Chanel : Her style and life, Wallach, Janet 1998
3. Coco Chanel: Encyclopedia of Clothing and
Fashion, 2005
4. The secret life of Coco Chanel, Justine Picardie
2010
INTRODUCTIONThe Chanel fashion house has been famous for many
years and still is today. It was started by an extraordinary
person by the name of Gabrielle “Coco” Bonheur Chanel.
She changed fashion for women, created the “little black
dress”, and had a string of romances, including one with a
millionaire and a Nazi spy. She started her life as a poor
orphan and died as a famous multi-millionaire fashion
designer. The story of Coco Chanel’s life is a true “rags to
riches” tale.
CHILDHOODCoco Chanel was born on August 19, 1882 in Saumur Fra
nce . Her full name was Gabrielle “Coco “ Bonheur Chan
el. She was the daughter of Albert Chanel and Jeanne
Devolle, with five siblings. Her father was an itinerant
salesman. Coco was just twelve when her mother died.
As for her father, he abandoned Coco and her siblings.
Coco was sent to an orphanage at Aubazine. Coco would
visit her grandparents. In 1900 she moved there
permanently and attended a convent school where she was
taught to sew by nuns.
STARTING BUSINESSCoco got an early start to her career. She sang at
stylish cafés. Coco got her nickname from the song
she sang, “Qui Qu’ a Vu Coco Dans le Trocodero”.
Coco would trim boater hats and was soon asked to
make copies. Chanel snuck into her first polo match,
where she met millionaire polo player, Arthur Capel,
otherwise known as “Boy”. He gave her the money
she needed to open up her very own hat shop on a
fashionable street in Paris.
STARTING BUSINESS CONTINUED
Coco opened up another shop with the help of Boy.
Chanel made drop-waist dresses, tailored pants,
black jackets and jewelry. Her style gave women
freedom and movement. Not only did she make
pants, but evening dresses too, including a black
sleeveless frock, with a white pearl collar. This was
known as “the little black dress”, which is still
popular today.
PERSONAL STYLE
Chanel cut her hair short in a “bob” style and wore lots of red lipstick
with a knee length loose drop waist dress. Her style was not like anyone
else’s compared to the tight corsets long poofy dresses and ruffled
petticoats of the time. When she walked down the streets she would
hear people whispering things like “why is she wearing men’s clothing”.
One day, Chanel borrowed one of “Boy’s” jersey sweaters. To not mess
up her neat flat hair, she cut it in the front trimmed it with a ribbon and
added a bow. The sweater inspired Chanel to use jersey for her new line
of clothing.
COCO’S DARK SIDEIn 1940, during WWII, the Nazis took over Paris. People left Paris,
including Coco. But, Coco also thought her business could be successful
during the war, so Chanel moved back to Paris. The Nazis had taken over
the Ritz Hotel, where Coco had her apartment. Coco had a romance with
a Nazi spy. She was asked by one of his commanders, to set up a meeting
with the British to talk about an end to the war. Coco met up with a
British man, who refused to the meeting. At the end of the war, Chanel
was arrested for helping the Nazis. Soon after the arrest, she was set
free. Everyone hated Coco for what she had done. So, Chanel moved to
Switzerland and closed her business.
LAST DAYSAfter 15 years in Switzerland, Coco wanted to design again.
She moved back to Paris, at the age of 70, an opened up her
business again. Coco did a fashion show that was hated by the
French and English, because she helped the Nazis during the
war. But the show was loved by the Americans. This made
her famous once again. Chanel’s fashion house soon became
one of the most famous fashion brands in the world. Coco
designed and ran her business until she died at the age of 88.
SUMMARYCoco’s life was not all sunshine and rainbows, but
she overcame her hard times to become a world
famous fashion designer. Coco’s style and design
was elegant and simple. Women wanted to look like
Coco and she made fashion comfortable and chíc. As
Coco said, “Luxury must be comfortable, or it is not
luxury”. Although Chanel died 42 years ago, her
business is a symbol of luxury and high fashion. Karl
Lagerfeld is now the designer for the House of
Chanel.
QUIZ
1. What was Coco’s first name?
A. Colette Chanel
B. Gabrielle Chanel
C. Molly Chanel
QUIZ
2. Who helped Coco pay for her first shop?
A. Her dad
B. The nuns
C. Boy Capel
QUIZ
3. What was the Chanel evening dress called?
A. Black evening dress
B. Midnight shine
C. The little black dress
QUIZ
4. What did Coco sell in her first shop?
1. Hats
2. perfume
3. shoes
QUIZ
5. Where did Coco move after the War?
A. Ponyland
B. America
C. Swizerland
VOCABULARY
Extraordinary: amazing , cool
Itinerant: traveling from place to place
Frock: dress
Jersey: a fabric they make t-shirts out of
Corsets: a piece of clothing to tighten the waist
AU REVOIR